


Price of the Unwary

by poetically_ordinary



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Broken Team Dynamics, Gen, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Referenced - Freeform, Refrenced Tony Stark, Rogue Avengers, Team Dynamics, semi-introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 07:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8481592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetically_ordinary/pseuds/poetically_ordinary
Summary: Things have been different since the Avengers broke away after the Sokovia Accords, harder in a lot of ways. But while chasing down a lead for a new Hydra cell things take a turn for the worse.





	

Things are different without Tony around.

Steve knows it, Natasha knows it, Clint knows it and Sam knows it. Wanda not so much, but then again she was never one to care about the billionaire.

There were times, before the ‘War’, when they would make small comments about how Tony wasn’t really an Avenger and how the ‘consultant’ attached to the brunet should have never been dropped. They had never mentioned any of these thoughts to Tony himself because the general consensus had been that Tony would have taken away all of the toys that he gave to the Avengers like a temper tantrum throwing three year old.

To be honest, Steve knows that they never really gave Tony any credit as an Avenger.

The problem was that there was nothing special that Tony brought to the team. After all, anything he did was actually just his suit, and anyone could pilot an Iron Man suit. Better people could, people like Rhodes. Really, it was frustrating to know that it was just Tony’s narcissism according to Natasha that kept him from giving the suit to someone who could actually make a difference, instead of keeping it all to himself and running around playing hero.

Despite things being different though, they have been a little easier in some ways. Without Tony here to constantly question Steve’s orders and mission parameters the team runs a lot smoother. It was always clear that the only cog that wasn’t turning in the well-oiled machine that was the Avengers team was the billionaire.

But…even with that realization, there’s something vital missing from the team.

While team dynamics might be easier, missions themselves seem harder to accomplish now. Without Thor’s return, Sam is the only air support that they have and while the Falcon Wings are a magnificent piece of hardware – they’re unable to do half of the things that the Iron Man suit was able to do. Natasha is an amazing hacker, but it seems like it takes her two to three times the time it took Tony to get into systems. Not only that but it takes her off the playing field while she works, Tony was always able to do it while he was covering their backs.

It’s not just mission problems though. It’s other things as well. The media hates them. There isn’t a day that Steve hasn’t turned on the news to see some kind of Anti-Avengers rhetoric. Normally, Tony handled all of that. People liked seeing the charismatic brunet on camera. They liked listening to his well spun stories and his almost earnest declarations. Even if something had gone wrong, it always seemed like Tony was the media pied piper and he would just play them a tune and they’d start marching to the beat he was playing. Steve tried doing that, he sent a letter and what is now being coined as the ‘Avenger Manifesto’ into the news stations and uploaded it online in order to let everyone know what was happening and why they could still rely on the Avengers to protect them.

It had been met with horrible reception. Despite all of them working on it to make sure that it came across with the proper message, it had been lambasted. Not just that, but various outlets had called for their heads. Declaring them international terrorists and saying that the Avengers had become infected with a cult-like mentality that threatened the safety of the world.

The added heat on them now, not just from Hydra, but also from military and government police forces had made their jobs a lot more dangerous and a million times harder. The nights had become long, and their supplies constantly ran short. Steve could admit that he missed the security and the safety of the Avengers Compound. With its constantly stocked medical and kitchen areas. Tony had made sure that they had never wanted for anything. If they needed upgrades- they had it. If they needed clothes or food- they had it. Really, Steve realized, if they asked for _anything_ from the brunet he had always delivered. Most of the time bringing something ten times better than what they had originally asked for.

Natasha had said that it had just made them soft – living under Tony’s thumb. But Steve could tell that she missed the rooms that Tony had given her. Steve remembered visiting Natasha in her area, it had been like the rest of theirs except instead of an art studio like Steve had – she’d had a beautiful ballet studio. According to her, Stark had put so many cubby holes in the room that there wasn’t a moment that she was two feet away from a hidden weapon. Steve remembered how she had said it was the only place that she’d felt safe and secure in a long time. Steve had felt the same way, the area that Tony had given him had been decorated in a more ‘antique’ feeling. Making Steve feel not so out of place. Tony had even gotten an old radio to repair and had it programed to play old radio programs.

Steve missed that radio.

Truth be told…he missed the brunet as well. He missed Tony’s obnoxiously loud soundtrack. He missed the engineer’s constant energy and the ability he had to negate the stress of a mission.

“Steve? We’re ready to go.” Sam says as he pokes his head into the area. Steve nods and straightens himself. It’s go time. Natasha and Clint had gotten another lead about a higher up in the Hydra leadership and Steve’s itching to knock the guy down a peg or two.

They move like shadows, reminiscent of the time Natasha and Steve were working on the STRIKE team. Wanda’s ability to manipulate people’s perception is a Godsend as they get into the area with absolutely no issues. The penthouse apartment looks like something Tony would live in as they move at his command to secure the area.

Thomas Muench looks more annoyed than cowed when he steps out of the bathroom and sees Steve standing there. “What do you want?” Is the bored question he asks and Steve steps forward.

“I think you know.”

“Enough with the cloak and dagger bullshit _Captain_.” The other members step out of the shadows in Muench’s peripheral and the man’s body language still doesn’t change.

“We want information, and you’re going to give it to us.” Muench pauses for a second before a smile starts to stretch across his face.

“Are you going to _take_ it Captain?” He sounds excited about the idea and Steve has to keep himself from recoiling.

“If we have to.”

“Please do.” He says as Wanda steps forward. He does a small smile in her direction. “Hello again fräulein.” Her face twists in rage and she flicks her fingers, sending him tumbling into the mini bar.

“Wanda.” Steve snaps and she takes a small step back. Muench laughs as he pushes himself up. “What’s so funny? Seems to me someone in your position shouldn’t be laughing.” He looks up at Steve like Steve’s a moron.

“Well it’s nice after all of our recent losses to get a win.”

“A win?” Sam asks and he just looks around at them.

“You don’t even realize do you? Do you truly believe that you’re not being recorded? Do you believe that you’re just going to walk out of here and that everything will just be fine? Honestly Captain. You were the greatest gift Erskine could have ever given us.”

“What does that mean?”

Muench rubs at his lips, frowns at the blood there before pushing himself up onto his feet. Clint is immediately there to kick him in the back of the knees to force him back down. His amusement doesn’t leave. “You’re the gift that just keeps giving Mr. Rogers.”

“Explain yourself.” Wanda threatens and he shrugs.

“After your beautiful handling of SHIELD we thought that we’d just gotten lucky. Then your flight from Siberia with the Winter Soldier and your continued behavior concerning these Accords? Honestly Captain, it’s like Christmas every time we see you.”

“We shut down Hydra.” Steve corrects and Muench looks at him like he’s missing the point.

“You shut down an agency that Hydra had _infiltrated_. We did not own SHIELD. Instead we were forced to use agents to work their way through SHIELD and get the information we required the old fashioned way. And then – just like Christmas morning, we learn that you and the Widow have taken all of SHIELD’s secrets and just put them online for everyone to see. Thousands of missions and agents that we were unaware of. People who had betrayed us, people who had defected – all of it just laid out for us like a buffet. We didn’t even have to try. It was beautiful.” He shakes his head. “Even with Stark working against us, he was not enough.”

“Tony? What does Tony have to do with any of that?” Muench tilts his head.

“You don’t know do you? How quaint.” He doesn’t offer up anymore about Tony, instead waving a hand in the air. “This however, is barbaric. At least Stark offers a drink before he gets to business.”

“He would.” Clint snorts in the background.

“What do you want Captain? I have an early morning tomorrow. So if we could please hurry this up.”

“What’s so important?” Sam asks and he shrugs.

“You know how it is. Tomorrow we release the Siberia tapes.” Steve feels cold and his fingers twitch.

“There are no tapes.”

“Come now Captain, did you honestly think there would be no evidence of your betrayal? Did you honestly believe that it would stay buried? Haven’t you learned your lesson about that yet?” The others cast a quick glance at Steve, almost as if silently asking what he’s talking about. Steve doesn’t say anything but Muench notices their glances and he gets that self-satisfied smirk again. “Captain, Captain, Captain…you haven’t have you? Still keeping secrets.” He tuts like he’s disappointed in a small child.

“Be quiet.”

“I thought you wanted me to talk? I’m starting to get mixed signals here.” It’s clear he’s enjoying himself and Steve wants nothing more than to smack that smug grin off his face.

“You speak of wins, like you’ve won something but we’ve taken the biggest win away from you. We’re not signing your ‘Accords’. You’re not going to be able to use us, you won’t be able to experiment on us or command us.” Steve gets a little grin of his own. “You’re never going to get the serum.” Muench inclines towards Steve.

“You are possibly correct.” Steve feels vindicated a little at the admission. “However…you’re mistaken.” Steve almost doesn’t want to ask.

“What do you mean?”

“You seem to be under the deluded belief that you are something so special and that we cannot imagine a better prize than what is in your body.” He shakes his head. “You overinflate your ego Mr. Rogers, like most Americans.” He sighs and adjusts his position on his knees. “Yes, it would be quite the boon to pull the serum out of your body and create an army of super enhanced soldiers.” He looks Steve right in the eyes. “But realize, we want it for the cannon fodder. For the _pawns_ , not for the ones worth any value.”

“Well this ‘pawn’ destroyed your hold over SHIELD and over good agents who didn’t realize they were being used by Nazi’s.”

“You mean like how _you_ didn’t realize?” It feels like a hit and Steve casts a quick glance at Natasha for strength. She nods and he presses on. “I will give you that. You did cause _quite_ a bit of anger when you shut down SHIELD.” Steve gets a smirk and he looks Steve right in the eyes again. “And not for any self-imagined worth that you think you or any of the other ‘agents’ at SHEILD had. No, thanks to Fury we had the best prize of all. Tony Stark designing things for _us._ ” He gets a far away look. “Tony Stark providing us with armor and upgrades that we couldn’t have even imagined in our wildest dreams.” He looks back at Steve. “And then _you_ had to pull the plug on SHIELD and now we’ve lost the greatest asset we have ever had in our pocket. Stark was usually so careful with who he worked with, but he was blinded by his need to be accepted.” He shakes his head. “A king amongst insects.”

“You’ve lost more than Tony.” Steve grinds out. “We took Bucky away from you. Zemo killed all your other super soldiers.” The look is back, the look like Steve has missed something.

“Surely you can’t be _that_ misinformed.” He leans forward as if imparting a secret. “Why do you think we designated it the _Winter_ core? Could it be perhaps that there were _other_ cores? I’ll admit the Spring Soldier doesn’t have the same ring to it as Winter Soldier, but that doesn’t prevent them from being just as deadly.”

Steve feels like the ground has been knocked out from under him. “You’re lying. You didn’t have any more of the serum.”

“Do you honestly believe that we didn’t reverse engineer it before we started pumping it into soldiers? Come now Captain.” He grins. “Like I said, you’re not as much of a prize these days as you seem to think you are.”

“You’re going to tell us everything you know.” Natasha growls and he gives her a sideways glance.

“Unfortunately, I don’t believe that’s how this is going to go.”

“And how do you think it’s going to go?” Clint snaps.

“Well, I think first I’m going to die. Yes, that sounds good. Violently murdered by Captain America and his band of followers. You think they’re calling for your heads now? Just wait.”

“We’re not going to kill you.” He grins.

“Of course not...she is.” There’s a moment where Steve has no clue what he's doing and then everything happens too fast. Muench jumps to his feet, spinning around as if he’s going to make a run for the door while a garbled mix of German comes out of his lips.

In the span between seconds – there’s a horrifying crunching noise as red sprays everywhere. Muench’s body hits the ground, the back of his head gone in a bloody mess and Wanda’s hands are still reached out, a blank look in the girls eyes.

“Wanda!” Steve calls out, reaching out gently to shake her and she blinks before she looks at Steve confused, and back down to the body and the blood.

“Oh my god.” Is her horrified moment of realization.

“We need to go.” Is what Natasha says seconds later. “We need to go now.” They take off as fast as possible with the sounds of sirens in the background. It takes them far too long to get back to where they started and Natasha shakes her head. “We’re in trouble. We’re in a lot of trouble Steve.”

“It wasn’t her. They must have done the same thing to her that they did to Bucky.”

“Steve, no one is going to believe that. Not with her background, they’ll lock her up. In a place much worse than the RAFT.”

“She didn’t do anything.”

“She just blew out some guys brains.”

“That wasn’t her!”

“No one cares Steve! They don’t care that she didn’t have full control, they’ll say that she should have been examined before. But she wasn’t, do you know why?”

Steve does. He remembers when Wanda first came to work with them, deeply terrified of people poking around in her brain. “Because I vouched for her and didn’t make her go through it.” Natasha nods.

“They’ll take her apart Steve, they’ll take us apart because it looks like we murdered a man who was trying to run away. They’ll crucify us.”

Sam looks around frantically as Clint tries to comfort Wanda. “What are we supposed to do?”

Steve glances at all of them, a sudden weight on his shoulders. He knows there’s no coming back from this anymore. “We press on.”

“Steve!” Sam starts but Steve shakes his head.

“We don’t give up, we need proof. We need to clear our names and we need to continue with the mission. Nothing has changed.” Sam looks conflicted.

“Steve…everything has changed.” Is his quiet admonition and Steve shakes his head.

“No, nothing has changed.” Even as he repeats it, Steve knows it’s a lie.


End file.
